Chapter 264: Over Ten Thousand Japanese Invaders And Traitors
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
……
Kumamoto Division Commander led the sweeping troops, racing madly toward Yang’er Mountain.
Along the way, the vanguard of the sweeping army stepped on a considerable number of jumping mines, plus the Eighth Route Army Guerrillas secretly sniped and shelled them.
Almost every step forward came at the cost of blood.
Even this vanguard force had been replaced several waves of men.
But Kumamoto Division Commander’s pace did not slow at all; he did not care about the life and death of the vanguard, because this vanguard was all Puppet Army troops, not soldiers of the Emperor under his command.
Even along the way, Kumamoto Division Commander kept urging speed: “Baka, faster, even faster! Whoever dares to slow us down will be shot on the spot!”
“Kumamoto Division Commander, this is the telegram just sent from Army Aviation.” Muto Juichi handed the telegram to Kumamoto Division Commander while saying, “They report that the Eighth Route at Yang’er Mountain seems to have dug up all the tungsten ore and are hurrying to flee in separate groups; the escape routes are in the telegram.”
Kumamoto Division Commander took the telegram immediately upon hearing this. After looking at these escape routes, his expression was very serious: “We are not far from Yang’er Mountain now, and time is still sufficient. We will split up to pursue. At all costs, get all the tungsten ore back for me!”
“Good.” Muto Juichi nodded.
Just like that, the Japanese sweeping army quickly split into several groups, swiftly pursuing toward different escape routes on Cheng Xiazi’s side.
“Regimental Commander, the Japanese speed is too fast.” The news quickly reached Cheng Xiazi’s side.
“Fast is good; I’m just worried he won’t be fast enough. If I successfully escape with the tungsten ore, and he can’t find anyone, that’ll be trouble for him.” Cheng Xiazi was very calm and ordered, “When the Japanese catch up, act according to the plan; make sure it looks convincing.”
“Yes, Regimental Commander.”
Not only Cheng Xiazi’s troops, but also several other regiments’ teams were covering the transportation team, withdrawing from different directions.
……
“Mr. Fujita, come here.” The logistics commander-in-chief of the sweeping army, Colonel Kitano Chuji, shouted to Fujita Ichi.
“Colonel, what do you need me for?” Fujita Ichi quickly came before Kitano Chuji.
“The army took dry rations to pursue the Eighth Route to seize back the tungsten ore; they probably can’t return to rendezvous with us in a short time. We have too much logistics and supplies here to follow along.” Kitano Chuji said to Fujita Ichi, “But this wilderness isn’t suitable for camping now. See if there’s any suitable place nearby to station.”
Kumamoto Division Commander and the others took the main force to pursue the Eighth Route, leaving the logistics and supplies waiting in place.
But here there was no terrain to defend; if sneak-attacked by the Chinese, it would still be a minor trouble.
The reason it was called minor trouble was not because the guarding troops for logistics and supplies were insufficient.
On the contrary, the Eighth Route loved to cut enemy logistics, and having learned from past lessons, Kumamoto Division Commander paid extra attention to logistics and supplies.
The staying troops here for logistics and supplies included one regiment and one battalion, totaling fully five thousand men.
Plus several Puppet Army regiments, altogether over ten thousand men.
Over ten thousand men guarding the logistics and supplies’ grain and fodder naturally weren’t worried about Eighth Route sneak attacks, but if they really came to sneak attack, with no terrain to defend here, it would still be somewhat troublesome.
After all, the Eighth Route’s heavy cannons were not for show.
So, Kitano Chuji wanted to find a more secure place.
This Fujita Ichi could even find the destroyed coal mine site, solving the troops’ problem of making fire for cooking; Kitano Chuji wanted to ask if Fujita Ichi was familiar with the nearby area and find another place.
Fujita Ichi immediately said upon hearing: “I do know a place that’s easy to defend and hard to attack.”
“Oh, really? Where?” Kitano Chuji immediately had Fujita Ichi point it out on the map.
“Here.” Fujita Ichi quickly pointed to a place called “Luoxue Slope” on the map and said, “Behind Luoxue Slope is a cliff face, with rivers as barriers on the left and right. Move the logistics and supplies to Luoxue Slope, and the left, right, and rear won’t need to worry about sneak attacks; just guard the front. The terrain at the front is also easy to defend and hard to attack; you’ll know once you see it yourself.”
“Yoshi.” Kitano Chuji showed a satisfied expression upon hearing and immediately sent men to reconnoiter.
This place wasn’t far; on horseback for reconnaissance, in less than half an hour, the reconnaissance soldiers returned and reported to Kitano Chuji: “Colonel, the situation is confirmed. Behind Luoxue Slope is a cliff, steep and precipitous. The rivers on the left and right have risen due to rain, indeed natural barriers. The front has many high grounds to defend, easy to guard and hard to attack.”
“Yoshi.” Kitano Chuji showed satisfaction again and immediately ordered the logistics and supplies to move toward Luoxue Slope.
While over ten thousand Japanese invaders and traitors escorted Kitano Chuji’s large batch of logistics and supplies toward Luoxue Slope, Liu Weidong of the 115th Division was somewhat troubled at this time.
This large batch of Japanese sweeping troops had all been drawn away by the tungsten ore, but the Japanese left behind to guard logistics and supplies still numbered over ten thousand.
Although Liu Weidong had several thousand troops supplemented by headquarters leaders on hand.
Even with weapons and ammunition supplements, it wasn’t suitable to clash head-on with these over ten thousand Japanese invaders and traitors.
Even if they could succeed in the end, it would definitely be a pyrrhic victory… oh no!
These five thousand Japanese had strong combat power; defeating them would be difficult even for a pyrrhic victory.
Moreover, Liu Weidong’s mission was to sneak attack and destroy the enemy’s logistics and supplies, not to fight hard against their escort team.
Once the logistics and supplies were destroyed, the Japanese military train would send new weapons and supplies, and then the task of disassembling the locomotive at the Border Region Arsenal could be done.
“These Japanese have suffered losses from cut logistics and supplies, leaving so many troops; Regiment Commander Liu, you’ve read so many books, you can’t slack off at this critical moment.” The other several Eighth Route regiment commanders all turned their gazes to Liu Weidong’s face.
One of the Eighth Route regiment commanders added: “The Japanese supplies are now moving toward Luoxue Slope, which is a natural defensive position. If the Japanese move there, even if we had ten times the troops, it would be meaningless.”
Liu Weidong thought for a moment and said: “Isn’t Luoxue Slope a natural defensive position? Then let’s go occupy it first, how about that?”
The several regiment commanders looked at each other upon hearing, and finally all looked at Liu Weidong: “Regiment Commander Liu, if we occupy Luoxue Slope in advance, that’s treating the symptoms but not the cause. The Japanese supplies can’t enter, but they still exist. Our mission is to attack the Japanese supplies.”
Another regiment commander added: “Behind Luoxue Slope is a cliff, with flooded rivers on left and right. If we go there and the Japanese block the front entrance, wouldn’t we become turtles in a jar?”
Liu Weidong corrected: “I don’t mean we all go occupy Luoxue Slope. Send one regiment there to occupy it; isn’t it easy to defend and hard to attack? Keep the Japanese out. As long as the Japanese supplies don’t enter and stay outside, we can still find a way to attack them.”
“Mm, that makes sense.” The several regiment commanders nodded and all volunteered eagerly.
“Regimental Commander, the 772nd Regiment is here.” At this time, someone reminded Liu Weidong.
“Scholar, what’s going on with you.” Cheng Xiazi strode over while asking, “I’ve drawn away the Japanese main force, why haven’t you moved to hit the Japanese army’s logistics and supplies?”
One Eighth Route regiment commander explained to Cheng Xiazi: “Regimental Commander Cheng, this Kumamoto isn’t stupid; he left over ten thousand troops to guard the logistics and supplies. Our several regiments here combined don’t have more troops than them; we’re discussing how to fight.”
Cheng Xiazi’s eyes widened upon hearing: “You’re not kidding? The Japanese logistics and supplies have over ten thousand troops guarding?”
Damn it, isn’t this screwing things up.
With over ten thousand Japanese invaders and traitors defending, even if we wanted to fight head-on, it would be tough.
This Kumamoto Japanese invader deliberately guarded against this move.
Then, Cheng Xiazi got a specific understanding of the situation.
Cheng Xiazi immediately suggested: “In my view, we should still let the Japanese enter Luoxue Slope to station.”
“How so?” Liu Weidong and the others all looked at Cheng Xiazi.
No matter what, although his nickname was Cheng Xiazi, his master was Li Yunlong.
Plus, his brigade commander was one of the Huangpu Three Heroes.
This Cheng Xiazi had followed these two and could hold the position of main regiment commander with official designation; he must have real skills.
“Once the Japanese station at Luoxue Slope, they’ll definitely put important defenses at the front, and won’t guard the left, right, and rear too strictly.” Cheng Xiazi said, “I’ve been to that Luoxue Slope place. If we can get the cannons onto the cliff, bombarding from above, we can definitely…”
Cheng Xiazi didn’t finish before an Eighth Route regiment commander interrupted: “Regimental Commander Cheng, can you not joke? Transport cannons onto the cliff? How?”
The Hell Cannon weighed several hundred jin and was welded solid, couldn’t be disassembled.
That cliff was hard enough for people to climb; how could you transport cannons up!
“How not possible.” Cheng Xiazi said seriously, “That cliff is steep, but my men have gone up it. Have him take a rope up first, then pull the cannon up from above with the rope; that does it.”
“Your men can pull several hundred jin of cannon up the cliff barehanded?” The several Eighth Route regiment commanders couldn’t help but retort.
This Cheng Xiazi’s nickname wasn’t for nothing; are you blind in the mind or the eyes?
Liu Weidong detected something from Cheng Xiazi’s tone and couldn’t help asking: “Regimental Commander Cheng, could it be that the Border Region Arsenal has produced the new type rockets that don’t need a cannon barrel to launch?”
Cheng Xiazi’s tone was so confident; he must have something to rely on.
Calculating the time, the Border Region Arsenal’s new type rockets should be ready.
The Hell Cannon was too heavy to pull up the cliff.
But these new type rockets that don’t need a cannon barrel to launch must be much lighter.
Then, pulling these new type rockets up the cliff, with open visibility and bombarding from above, precise shelling of the Japanese arms placement area could be done.
As long as the arms could be blown up, causing detonation, this attack operation would basically succeed.
Perhaps some would complain.
Why not shell from the opposite banks of the rivers on left and right.
The reason was simple: Luoxue Slope covered a large area; observing from across the river would be seeing only a small part.
Even shelling would be blind firing.
Moreover, the Japanese artillery wasn’t for show; it would counterattack.
But from the cliff above, everything would be clear as day.
Bombarding from above, the Japanese artillery would have trouble hitting us.
